I just got a vario-w which i like... ish... the auto-weighing is extremely convenient and the espresso i'm producing is excellent.

however the way the grinds look is bothering me. i'm seeing biggish chunks of the beans (similar size to what you'd produce for drip coffee) interspersed with fines even though i'm grinding obviously on a very fine setting. they're especially noticeable in the puck after brewing and when i wash out the pf in the sink you can see large (again drip coffee size) bean chunks in the sink.

anyone else have this happen with vario or vario-w?

If I am reading correctly, you are saying large pieces of un-ground coffee is making its way into the fine grinds, correct? If so, this should not be happening. Never heard of it happening so I would suggest first taking a look at the burrs. While much more robust than what most expect, the ceramic burrs can be damaged by a rock or other debris in the coffee. Unplug, remove the hopper and then remove the upper burr (turn clockwise) to reveal the burrs. Take a look for any damage. If this looks normal you may want to contact Baratza for help.

not fully un-ground, just bigger pieces than i would expect. 1mm ish size.

Is it possible that the larger grinds are left overs from using the grinder for drip, etc? I have seen the Vario retain a small amount of grinds that will come out the next time the grinder is used (less than 1/4 tsp).

I would try cleaning the grinder by removing the upper burr and see if the problem persists.

Did you try contacting Baratza? My experience is they are great with customer service.

no i've never used it for anything but espresso. i'll give them a ring, thanks.

So, your espresso is excellent, you say?

Let's fix that!

seageral wrote:no i've never used it for anything but espresso. i'll give them a ring, thanks.

Were you able to take a look at the burrs?

i haven't looked at the burrs yet - i'll try to do it this weekend.